Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-19
DESTROYING FLAMES.
HA1RIgs HALL rHy scFygoYAB BRIL-.
LIANT CONFEDERATION.
The Origin Of the Fire unknowa-
Damage About $4,000.

Just before noon yesterday fire was
discovered issuing from the windows Of
the building occupied by John B. Har-
ris, .412 and 4l4 north Third street,
which is divided into an undertaking
establishment, a stable, lodgc-rooms,
chambers, hall, &c. Much confusion
was caused by the way the alarm was
turned in, and il was twenty minutes
or mor4before the fire apparatns ar
rived, but when they did thew went 10
work with will and soon extinguished
the flames.
The fire originated in one OF tho
rooms occupied by Harris's little boy,
where there was no fire and no gas.
It's origin was not ascertained. Har.
ris's loss on building and furniture Will
be fully $4,000, upon which he has an
insurance of that anount In julius
Strauss agency.
A number of colored lodges meet IN
Har1is's Hall. and among them ope or
two lodges Of 0dd-Fcllows, all OF whom
sufrer loss. their regalia being damaged
by fire and water.
To alarms from Station Steamers 3
and rpsponed, but Steamer ! was in
the shop being repaired. and hence
Steamer ) came down. The lire having
made headway on account OF the con-
fusion in the alarm, Steamers ond2
were regarded as necessary, and wero
called as stated.
The building was in process OF re-
pair and alteration at the time OF the
fire, and the workmen were the tirst 10
discover the flames.
This building is the one in which
number of members OF the noted Dis
trict 80. Knights OF Labor, OF New
York, were quartered during the Labor
Convention last October.
TIE CONFUSION IN The FIRE-ALARxs.
This fire has been the occasion OF .
good deal OF comment IN consequence
of n confusion in the alarms. Some
complaints have been made charging q
failure on the part OF the fire-alarm
department 10 transmit correct sig
nal and tardiness on the part OF the
Fire Department in reaching the fire.
From the accounts given by the Off
GERS of the two departments land they
have fully investigated the matterl IL
seems very clear that the confusion was
occasioned by an accident, and, under
the circumstances, the delay seems 10
have been entirely unavoidable.
"What was the matter to-day" ask
cd a DisDdtch man OF Superintendent
Thompson, of the fire-alam depart
ment, "that the Fire Department did
not get the correct alarm ?"
Well. ." said the Superintendent in
reply, Il am not able at this moment
to say what gave way in Fire-Alarm
Fox No. 3, but the trouble all around
Was the result of an accident which
will happen sometimes to machinery,
and you cannot expect even as
good a fire department as ours TO DO
exC mpt from trouble Of the kind which
the wires will somvtimes give them.
The fact is, the officer at the Seconi
police station pulled down the box
properly, bnt instead OF recording it,
number CD correctly it recorded ., and
variCus numbers, aud none Of rs could
tell Just what Was the matter. J fOnnt
that the alarm came from No. Circuit,
end / telephoned Immediately to tho
Second stntion-house and ascertained
that the alarm came from that station.
In order then to correct the trouble rs
far as | could, / sent in three rounds by
Box 3 from the Morse key IN the cen
trail Office, and npon this call the appa-
ratus which ordinarily goes 10 this box
went instantly. You see they were bound
To be quicA, bcc.t4se s",y ".s- ....
LitchCd up ready. Well. the nnli
confusion Lr.w out Of the tact that
an alhrn wes suit IN from .,i,ti,i
(engiue-hOuse on Jhiri street n'1'
broed), il being tie Impression t'Eat
tie ahUn WIS sull misunderstood.
Iou see that thus Tar the matter was
gli IHtUlal enough. A",.. tue ,n.r
/ NJ iheer th. l. > nt w ot his Lss.s ant
M incCIs rni ,Tii,eI -iirccsslv.'ly duI
prop, r,y rtegfprTS al -
this vos done. some well-meaning
irei,G vert to station }, 81
tap Turned in the box, which means
gtntIsI alar.I, aud tO Il III 40, -. ,dJ
city apparatus responded. except iiDS
Company No. 2.
- think that is about the true vsr-
sion OF it," be concluded. al took
out the hox this evening, repaired IL,
put il back, tested il over the wires,
ard it is now all right"
"What IL the remedy for 81 IA tr)a.
be in the futnre?"
"NeI, SIR; the only way to. corr ct
il is TO put in the mountaineering
boxes. We have nOn-intcrieuny lGa-
chin,ry in the central office, bu, only
our new boxes ere OF the non-inter-
fering pattern. | have recommended
these changes repeatedly.n